The present invention relates to relays and particularly to miniature electro-mechanical relays.
In miniaturized integrated circuit configurations such as employed for electronic digital circuits, interfacing with mechanical switching contacts is frequently desirable, e.g., for operating peripheral equipment or servomechanism devices. A common type of switching element employed with integrated circuit devices comprises a reed relay including a pair of reed contacts mounted in a small glass envelope upon which an operating coil is wound for causing mutual attraction of the reed contacts. Because of their small size, reed relays are adaptable to the space limitations of the integrated circuit environment and a number of such reed relays can be conveniently mounted on an integrated circuit plug for connection to the circuitry. However, reed relays are comparatively expensive and the power handling capability thereof is limited. Of course, larger electro-mechanical relays can be employed, but usually require special consideration in regard to the space needed and the clearance required above a panel board.